This invention relates generally to an assembly for storing golf clubs in a logical sequence for ready access. More specifically, this invention relates to a relatively rigid assembly for removable mounting on the rear deck of a golf cart in place of a conventional golf bag for storing irons and wedges in a logical sequence and for storing woods and a putter separate and apart from the sequenced irons and wedges.
Broadly speaking, numerous arrangements for storing and separating golf clubs on the backs of golf carts in place of the ordinary golf bag have been known in the prior art. Two such arrangements for use with golf carts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,364 issued to K. L. Theckston on May 25, 1993 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,481 issued to W. M. Strange on Dec. 3, 1991. Both of these arrangements provide a plurality of tubes or holders for carrying different golf clubs of a set therein for access from the rear of a golf cart. However, in both cases, substantial modification of a conventional golf cart is required. Moreover, once these arrangements are installed on a golf cart, they are not easily broken down to remove them for use of the cart to carry conventional golf bags. The Theckston arrangement, in particular, is a complex assembly which, when installed, is clearly intended as a permanent installation.
There are, however, numerous other golf club holders of a portable variety that can be readily removably strapped to the back of a conventional golf cart without modification which are known in the prior art. Some of these employ a plurality of elongated hollow tubes, each of which is adapted to hold a single club. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,243 issued to C. D. Ruiz on Feb. 23, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,107 issued to C. R. Ingraham on Aug. 4, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,024 issued to C. R. Clayton on Dec. 13, 1983. One difficulty encountered with these assemblies is that irons and wedges are not stored separate and apart from woods, whereby the relatively larger heads of the woods can conceal some or all of the irons and wedges from view so as to make selecting a specific iron or wedge difficult and, often, time consuming. While the Ingraham assembly contains four hollow tubes in a golf bag which have plugs therein at different depths for holding four woods whose heads are at different heights above the upper rims of the tubes so as not to interfere with each other or with irons stored in notched tubes in the bag, there is no provision for a logical sequence of arrangement for irons and wedges therein. Also, since the plugs in the four tubes are concealed from view, the relative lengths of each of these tubes is not readily ascertainable in the event a user desires to store irons having different length shafts therein, although, since these four tubes are not notched, they are not adapted for storage of irons or wedges therein in any case.
Other portable golf club carriers containing tubes for holding the shafts of different golf clubs of a set therein are exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 3,966,015 issued to R. O. Hollister, et al. on Jun. 29, 1976; U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,529 issued to R. Hickin on Apr. 7, 1992; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,444 issued to M. R. Young on May 30, 1989. These carriers each contain one or more stakes on the bases thereof which can be driven in the ground to make such carriers free standing. While this is convenient for use of such assemblies on and about fairways and greens of golf courses, these units are not adapted for being carried in an upright position on the back of a golf cart in the same manner as the usual golf bag. In any event, these prior art carriers make no provision for storing irons and wedges in a logical sequence for ease of access.
By means of my invention, these and other difficulties encountered using prior art golf club storing assemblies are substantially overcome.